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(No Model.)

B. M. AGEE, E. LANE & W. E. AGEE.

SHOE.

Patented Feb. 9, 1892.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

REUBEN M. AGEE, EDVARD LANE, AND \VILLIAM E. AGEE, OF CANTON, MISSOURI.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 468,319, dated February 9, 1892.

Application filed April 23, 189i. Serial No. 390,215. (No model.)

To and whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, REUBEN M. AGEE, EDWARD LANE, and WILLIAM E. AGEE, citizens of the United States, residing at Canton, county of Lewis, and State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Shoes, of which the followingis a specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in button-shoes, and especially to those intended for the use of ladies.

The objects of our invention are to so construct a shoe as to adapt it to readily conform to varionsly-sized insteps and maintain a snug fit over the same whether theinstep be highly arched, very flat, or of medium size, and withal to readily yield to the action of the ankle of the wearer, and hence not restrict the same or render such action uncomfortable.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for limiting any undue stretching of the button-holes or the elastic gore, and hence overcome any tendency or danger of tearing out the same by reason of the strain.

\Vith these general objects in view the invention consists in certain features of construction hereinafter specified, and particularly pointed out in the claim.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of a shoe constructed in accordance with our invention. Fig. 2 is a cross-section through the button-ply.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures of the drawings.

1 designates the vamp, and 2 the quarter, which in this instance, as is usual in ladies shoes, is made in one piece with the top 4 designates the button-fly, and 6 the front stay, which leads from the vamp to the upper end of the top, as is usual, and securely stitched between the edges of the stay and the adjacent edge of the button-fly is aV-shaped elastic gore 7, which by its elasticity will permit the button-fly as a whole to laterally stretch over various sizes of insteps and connect with the buttons, and thus obviate the necessity of moving the buttons to differentpoints on the top in order to secure a neat fit of the instep. The elastic gore alone, while suflicient for this purpose, is liable by undue stretching to be rent apart or stretched out of shape and hence lose its quality, and we therefore, in anticipation of such result and in order to obviate the same, have provided an inner lining or facing 8 of suitable fabric and approximating in shape the elastic gore. This lining 8, formed of some suitable fabric, has its edges secured to the stay and button-fly preferably by the same line of stitches 9 that serve to connect the elastic web with these elements. Though the lining approximates in shape the elastic gore, yet it is considerably wider than the same, and hence when the gore is contracted lies slack between the lines of stitches 9, and when the gore is stretched or strained it becomes taut and will permit of such stretching or straining of the gore only to a limited degree, which degree is not sufficient to injure the elastic stay or gore. If desired, the elastice gore, as well as the lining, may extend from the edge of the top to the buttonfly, and thus the necessity of employing the front stay be avoided.

From the foregoing description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be seen that we have provided by our invention an improvement in shoes whereby one last will serve to fit the ankles of various wearers, and also that we have provided means for preserving these inherent qualities in the shoe. Thus it willhe seen that a dealer is not compelled to carry a number of lastsof each size of shoe, and hence, though enabled to fit all sizes of insteps in any size of shoe,

can accomplish the same with but a small line of goods.

Having described our invention, what we claim is- The herein-described improved shoe, consistin g of the vamp, quarters and top, the button-fly, the V-shaped elastic gore, and the nonelastic V-shaped inner lining wider than the gore, the gore and lining being stitched at their opposite edges to the adjacent edges of the top and fiy, substantially as specified.

REUBEN M. AGEE. EDWARD LANE. WM. E. AGEE.

\Vitnesses:

JACOB E. GOOKSEY, SHADRACH G. PILGHER. 

